Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Dead Sea Scrolls

Erin and I had the privelege of going to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at Union Station. It was a very worshipful experience. Two different times I was so overwhelmed with awe that tears came to my eyes. The first time was while looking at a scroll that contained Joshua 3:5 "Then Joshua told the people, 'Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.'" I had been reading and meditating upon that verse and to see it on a scroll from the 4th century BC was amazing. I was struck by how ancient and powerful scripture really is.

The other moment of awe was in looking at a passage from the Psalms. Although the scrolls are impossible to read (even if I did know Hebrew) I was able to make out the letters the scribes used to substitute for the name of God (Yahweh). Out of respect and admiration, Jewish scribes refused to write "Yahweh" as if writing or saying the word would diminish the glory of God. So they substitued the title "Adonia." That act that seems almost trivial to us demonstrated their deep love and respect for God. It was a worshipful experience.